Middletown Historical Society

Mark your calendars!  This year's Peach Festival will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2008 from 9:00am-4:00pm.

Check out what you can expect at the 2008 Peach Festival:

The Middletown Historical Society hosts the Peach Festival each year on the third Saturday of August to celebrate the town's rich history.

The Festival takes place this year on Saturday, August 16, 2008, beginning at 9:00am with a parade on Broad Street.  Festivities conclude at 4:00pm.  Many activities are centered on Main Street, which has been renovated with brick sidewalks, street paintings, sidewalk furniture, Victorian-design street lamps and underground utility lines.  Main Street and a portion of adjoining North Cass Street will be closed to traffic for the event.  Entertainment is scheduled throughout the day around town.  There are activities for children, a local artist exhibit, walking tours, historical exhibits, a peach pie contest, crafts, music, food, games and of course - peaches!  Pick up a brochure at Cochran Square at the corner of Main and Broad streets for a complete listing of activities.  The Peach Festival is a rain-or-shine event!  Last year's attendance was about 20,000 people.

If you would like to participate in any of the activities (crafters, information booths, food vendors, parade entrants, entertainment) or would like other information, please contact the Middletown Historical Society at mhistoricalsociety@verizon.net.  We can also be reached at (302) 378-7466. - (Please leave a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.)

Download 2008 Craft & Informational Vendor Application (.doc)

Download 2008 Parade Participant Application (.doc)

Download 2008 Food Vendor Application and information (.doc)

Vendors and crafters who have already registered and paid for spaces(s):

Information regarding your space assignment and arrival time, along with car passes will be mailed to you by the middle of JULY.  We look forward to a great 2008 Peach Festival and thank you for your participation.

May 20th--Gary D. Wray will speak on "Delaware and World War II".

April 15th--This lecture will be on "Delaware and the Civil War."  Speaker to be announced at a later date.

March 18th--Dr. John Gardner will speak on "The Regulars".  He often comes costumed as a first person interpreter.

February 19th--Dr. Marshall Becker will speak and give a slide presentation on "Native Indians Who Lived Along the Delaware Tributaries."

All lectures are held in the Old Academy Building, 216 N. Broad Street at 7:30 p.m.  Speakers are members of the Delaware Humanities Lecture Group.  A short business meeting will be held following the lecture.  Guests are welcome to stay for the meeting or are free to leave.

Historical Society announces Peach Festival Committee meetings

    The Middletown Historical Society will hold the first organizational meeting of the Peach Festival committee on Tuesday, January 29th in the Directors' Room of the Academy Building at 7:00pm.  Monthly meetings of the committee will be held on the last Tuesday of each month until the Festival, which will be Saturday, August 16th.  All those interested in serving on one or more of the subcommittees are invited to attend.

    Subcommittee assignments will include parade, craft vendors, youth activities and games, entertainment, transportation, parking and signs, historical exhibits, food court and planning and coordination.

    If you would like to be a part of Middletown's biggest event of the year, please attend the meeting, or call the Historical Society  at 378-7644 and leave your name, phone number, email address and committee interest. 

MOT COMMUNITY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN 2007 PEACH FESTIVAL

The Middletown Historical Society recently held the organizational meeting for the 2007 "Olde Tyme Peach Festival".  Much discussion centered on changing the emphasis of the festival to highlight the strength of the town and surrounding MOT region.  As part of this effort, the committee wants local merchants, organizations, businessmen, non-profit groups and individuals to secure an early placeholder booths (no sales), merchandise, crafts or special activities.  Please e-mail the co-chairmen of this years' festival, Helen Alford or David Matsen at mhistoricalsociety@verizon.net or write a note addresed to the Middletown Historical Society, P.O. Box 567, Middletown, DE 19709.  The note should express possible involvement, ideas you would like to see incorporated into the festival, or to volunteer help.  Be sure to include your contact information.

The showcasing of community strengths would include historical, architectural, cultural, commercial and agricultural elements.  Ms. Alford and Mr. Matsen stressed that a key element of planning for the 2007 festival to be held August 18 will be to return the focus of events to West Main Street.  The Historical Society has requested permission from Mayor and Council to continue planning for this outcome based on coordination with the town, Volunteer Hose Company and DelDOT to ensure safety and orderly traffic flow.

Alford and Matsen said the return is important for two reasons.  First, it will showcase the completion of the first section of the Main Street redevelopment project.  The "new" Main Street will include underground utility cables, brick sidewalks, Victorian style street lamps, and attractive plantings and design features.  Secondly, it will place the festival in the center of the historic district that gives the community much of its special identity.

November 11, 2006, the Middletown Transcript reported the following:

"The Middletown Historical Society appointed officers to replace two who have resigned and one vacant position.  Brenda Shivery is replacing Lorraine Reeves as treasurer and Alison Matson is replacing Denise Beiderman as secretary.  Diane Dudderar is filling the vacant vice president position.

"A nomination committee is in place and will present nominees at the April membership meeting.  The election will take place the June membership meeting.

"Joanne Nichols has been attending a seminar sponsored by the AASLA in West Chester (PA) learning the use of Past Perfect.  The software is used by many historical societies."

September 7, 2006, the Middletown Transcript reported the following:

"The Hedgelawn Foundation of Price, Kent County, MD, has announced the award of a $4,000 grant to the Middletown Historical Society.  The grant will be used by the society to purchase 'Past Perfect' museum software and a computer to support a wide range of museum activities including cataloging and documenting its growing collection of objects, photographs, and paper materials."

"The grant will also provide three years' membership in the American Association of State and Local History, a resource organization for museums."

"The announcement was made by Ben and Judy Kohl, president and treasurer of the foundation at the beginning of the Society's Museum Committee meeting Aug. 29 at the Academy Building in Middletown.  Mr. Kohl presented a check to Helen Alford, acting president of the society, who accepted it with grateful appreciation."

"Hedgelawn Foundation was established in 2003 by the Kohl family, former owners of Hedgelawn farm and peach mansion on U.S. 301 at the west side of Middletown.  Its purpose is "Support of the humanities, libraries and museums, higher education, the performing and visual arts, and historical research and publication in the Delmarva peninsula, and especially the Eastern Shore of Maryland."

August 30, 2006

If you missed this year's fantastic Olde-Tyme Peach Festival,  get ready for next year's festival!  Plans are in the works for an even bigger and greater event.  Watch this site for information and details. 

OLD ACADEMY BUILDING AND MUSEUM UPDATE

The Historical Society members have been busy painting, cleaning, and organizing office spaces at the Old Academy Building and preparing rooms for the Museum.  All of the stored furniture, books, pictures, papers, collectibles, etc.  given to the Society for the Museum have been moved to the new location and are ready to be catalogued.  The museum committee has been attending workshops on restoring and preserving artifacts and is ready to start sorting and preparing the memorabilia for display.  This is a time consuming effort and will require many hands.  History buffs or anyone interested in preserving Middletown's history is invited to join.  Check the Calendar of Events for the general  meeting times.  If you have pieces you would like to loan or donate to the Museum, you may call 302-378-7466 for information.